World title contender Tim Tszyu admits a two-fight gap between Paul Gallen's first and second assignments in the boxing ring next month has turned a gimmick into an legitimate test.
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Gallen will fight fellow retired NRL duo Justin Hodges and Ben Hannant on September 15 at Nissan Arena in Brisbane.
He is expected to navigate both challengers with ease after going toe-to-toe in a final-round stoppage loss against world title hopeful Justis Huni last year.
But the plan for a one-hour, or two-fight, gap between his fights has thrown a spanner in the works for Gallen, who says he will retire after one more bout later this year.
"Ideally it'd be back-to-back, eight three-minute rounds or 10 three-minute rounds, five each, one after the other," Gallen told reporters in Brisbane on Wednesday.
"I'd finish one off, the other jumps straight in; that's what I wanted it to be.
"The fact they'll give me at least an hour break, or two fights, in between, that makes me nervous.
"The pure ecstasy of winning a fight then having to cool right down and get back up again, that'll be the hardest thing for me."
The concept has raised eyebrows and now even been copied by British YouTube personality KSI, who announced on Wednesday he'd be doing the same thing on August 27.
Tszyu, in Brisbane to help No Limit Boxing stablemate Gallen promote the fight, is genuinely intrigued by the concept.
"It's ballsy by Paul to take on two opponents, 100 per cent it's unheard of," he said.
"I do it in sparring, bring four in, swap them and rotate, but he's doing it in an actual fight where adrenaline goes up and down, so we'll see how he reacts.
"I'm curious on how he's going to do it but he's a great fighter (and showed that when he) went nearly the whole distance with Justis."
Australian Associated Press
